Bootjack



UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

I-IENRl7 N. DE GRAV, OF GREEN ISLAND, NEW YORK.

BOOTJ'ACK,

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,374, dated February 12, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY N. DE GRAW, of Green Island, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Bootjack; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making` a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged inverted plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same, taken in the line 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached view of the mechanism by which the aws are operated.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of boot-jacks which are provided with movable jaws arranged to grasp firmly the back part of the boot to admit of the leg being drawn from it.

The object of the invention is to obtain a simple and efficient means for operating the aws, whereby the same may be made to grasp firmly the boot, and the implement rendered capable of being manipulated with the greatest facility and of operating in a very efficient manner.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention I will proceed to describe it.

A represents a block or foot piece which may be of wood of suitable dimensions, and B, is a metal plate having feet a, a, attached, one lat each end, said plate being secured to the front part of the foot piece, so that the feet a, may give the former when adjusted for use a proper inclined position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

C C are two metal jaws, of curved form,

as shown clearly in Fig. 2. These jaws are at the ends of shanks or levers D, D, which are attached to the under side ofthe footpieces A, by screws o, which screws also secure the plate B, to the foot-piece. The shanks or levers D, D, of the jaws C, C, arev allowed to work freely on their screws b, b, and at the inner end of each shank or lever there is a pendent pin c, and these pins fit in grooves cl, cl, in a shaft E, the journals of which are placed in bearings e, e, secured to the bottom of the foot-piece A. The grooves cl, d, are of spiral form, or they may be described as being sections of screws, one being a right and the other a left hand one, as shown clearly in Fig. L1.

To each end of shaft E, there is attached at right angles an arm or lever F, and to the ends of these arms, the ends of a cord or rope G, are attached, said cord or rope being sufficiently long that its upper part may be grasped by the operator while the implement is on the floor-see Fig. 1.

From the above description of parts it will be seen that by turning the shaft E, the jaws C, C, will be opened and closed, the spiral grooves d, CZ, moving the shanks or levers D, D, of the jaws simultaneously in opposite directions. The arms or levers F, F, may be sufficiently heavy to keep the jaws C, C, distended. This however would be preferable, but not absolutely necessary, as the jaws could be readily distended by the action of the boot.

The implement is used by placing one foot on the foot-piece A, the cord G, being grasped by one hand and the heel of the boot to be drawn placed between the jaws C, C. The operator then draws upward the cord G, and thereby turns the shaft E, which forces outward the inner ends of the shanks or levers D, D, and forces inward or toward each other the jaws C, C, the latter grasping firmly the boot and allowing the leg to be readily withdrawn.

The cord G, admits of the implement being very readily handled or manipulated, as the implement may be swung by the operator to the desired position without the necessity of his stooping to adjust it. The cord also admits of the ready raising of the jack from the floor after use for the purpose of putting it in proper place.

The implement may be constructed at a moderate cost, and it possesses the advantage of being capable of being adapted to boots of different sizes; the jaws C, C, admitting of being pressed as firmly against a small boot as a large one.

Having thus described my invention what nected to the shaft E; all being arranged I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letsubstantially as and for the purpose set 10 ters Patent, is :E fort-h.

The jaws C, attached to the footiece 5 A, and provided with` the shanks or lvers HENRY N DE GRAW' D, D, in connection with the shaft E, pro- Witnesses: vided with spiral grooves d, d, in which pins VILLIAM P. TAYLOR, o, c, of the levers D, t, and the cord Gr, con- DANIEL C. STEWART. 

